Instagram also has a WhatsApp Status type feature called Stories, TikTok type feature known as Reels, and more. Among all the features that it provides, it’s mainly known for visual storytelling.
Instagram is all about visual content; your followers will share Stories, reels, photos & videos in feeds and more regularly. However, what if a specific Instagram Story fails to play on your phone?
Recently, many users have complained about the ‘This Story is Unavailable’ Instagram error. When they tried to view the story, they saw the ‘This Story is Unavailable’ error on Instagram.
So, what does the This Story is Unavailable error on Instagram Story mean, and how can it be fixed? We will discuss it in this article. Let’s get started by understanding what this error actually means.
Why Does the Error Appear?
You may encounter a ‘This Story is no longer available’ message while viewing Instagram Story for various reasons.
The error message usually appears due to unstable internet; the user deletes the story, private account, and so on.
Below, we have listed a few possible reasons contributing to Instagram’s ‘This Story is Unavailable’ error.
- You are not connected to a stable internet.
- The servers of Instagram are down.
- The user who shared the story has deactivated the account.
- You are blocked from viewing the user’s story.
- The story had already been deleted.
- You are trying to view stories of a private account.
- The story violated Instagram’s guidelines and has been deleted.
We first have to figure out the reason for the error message and then try the troubleshooting steps. Here’s how to get started.
1. Reopen the Instagram app
The first thing you should do if you cannot view Instagram Stories is reopen the app itself.
Bugs & glitches can sometimes prevent stories from loading, leading to this error message. You can eliminate almost all types of glitches by reopening the app.
So, close the Instagram app from the recent app list and then reopen the app. After that, view the Instagram Story again.
2. Refresh the Instagram Feed
If you haven’t refreshed your Instagram feed for a few minutes, the user might have already deleted the story you’re viewing.
Also, when the feed is not refreshed, Instagram continues to show you the posts from your previous session.
So, before trying the next methods, refresh the Instagram feed. To refresh the feed, hold & pull down the feed from top to bottom and wait for two seconds. This will refresh the Instagram feed posts.
3. Force Stop the Instagram App
Many Instagram users have claimed to resolve This Story is Unavailable message just by force-stopping the Instagram app. Here’s how to force stop the Instagram app on Android.
1. Press the Instagram app icon on your home screen and select App Info.
2. On the App Info screen, tap on Force Stop.
4. Check if you’ve been Blocked
We have tried basic troubleshooting to fix the problem. However, if you’re still unable to view the Instagram Story, you need to check whether you have been blocked.
Chances are that the account owner has blocked you for some reason; hence, you cannot view their Stories from your feed.
You can confirm it by checking the content from a different Instagram account.
5. Check if the Account has been Deactivated
As mentioned in the second method, Instagram continues to show old posts until the feed has been refreshed. So, chances are you’re trying to view an Instagram Story of an account that has just been deactivated.
The owner may have deactivated the account, or it may have been flagged for spam or sharing content that violates Instagram’s guidelines.
To confirm this, you need to check the profile of the person who shared the story. If the profile is not found, the account has been deactivated, or you have been blocked.
6. Check if the Servers of Instagram are Down
If everything is good but you’re still getting the ‘This Story is Unavailable’ error on Instagram, it’s a good idea to check if Instagram is down.
When Instagram’s servers are down, most of its features, including the Story, won’t work. You will also face problems like Instagram Stories not working, Instagram Black Screen, etc.
To confirm whether Instagram’s servers are up and running, check this Instagram Server Status page at downdetector.
7. Update the Instagram App
Like every other social media and photo-sharing app, Instagram also experiments with new features. New features are essential to keep users interested in the app.
Instagram pushes new features via App Updates. App updates also fix technical issues and glitches that prevent Instagram from functioning properly.
Hence, if IG Story is unavailable, you must update the Instagram app from the Google Play Store or iOS App Store.
8. Clear the Instagram Cache & Data
Instagram app cache is very important since it helps the app load faster. The cache also stores your in-app settings on your phone’s local storage.
However, as the cache files build up over time, they do more harm than good. Hence, if you are experiencing certain problems like IG Stories not loading or IG Story unavailable, it’s a good idea to clear the Instagram App cache. Here’s what you need to do.
1. Tap and hold the Instagram app icon and select App Info.
2. On the App info screen, tap on Storage Usage.
3. Tap the Clear Cache and Clear Data options on the Storage Usage.
This will clear all saved Instagram Cache and data files. After clearing the cache & data, open the app and log in to your account.
9. Log Out and Log In
In the past, Instagram users have faced the ‘This Story is Unavailable’ problem. This happened due to some Instagram bugs.
Users are then recommended to log out and log in to resolve the issue. While Instagram had fixed the bug that prevented users from viewing the stories, who knows whether the same bug had made a comeback?
So, it’s best to log out and log in to your account. Here’s what you need to do.
1. Open Instagram and tap on your profile picture at the bottom right.
2. On the Profile screen, tap on the hamburger menu at the top right.
3. On the menu that appears, select Settings and Privacy.
4. On Settings, scroll down to the bottom and tap the Log Out button.
5. Once logged out, log in with your account again.
10. Reinstall the Instagram App
Reinstallation should be your savior, especially if all other methods fail to fix the ‘This Story is no longer available’ Instagram error.
Reinstalling may rule out everything that prevents the Instagram app from functioning, like bugs, corrupted installation files, glitches, incorrect user settings, etc. It will also rule out problems like the Instagram app keeps crashing.
To reinstall the Instagram app, tap and hold the Instagram app icon on your home screen and select Uninstall. Once uninstalled, open the Google Play Store and install the app again.
11. Report the Problem to Instagram
If you believe you’re viewing the ‘This story is no longer available’ message because of an account-level problem, you must report it to Instagram.
If you have account related problem, Instagram will take quick action to fix the problem. They will also let you know if your account has any restrictions. Here’s how to report a problem to Instagram.
1. Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile picture.
2. On the Profile screen, tap on the hamburger menu at the top right.
3. Next, tap on Settings and Privacy.
4. On the Settings and Privacy screen, tap on Help.
5. On the help screen, tap on Report problem without shaking.
6. Now briefly explain your issue and attach a screenshot showing ‘This story is unavailable’ message. Once done, tap on the Send button to send the report.
12. Use the Instagram Viewer Apps
Instagram Viewer apps or Instagram Story viewers are third-party apps that allow you to stalk other people’s accounts.
With Instagram Story viewers, you can easily check the Story shared by public profiles. Most of these Instagram viewer tools don’t ask you to log in to your account.
The only drawback of Instagram Story Viewers is that they will only let you see the Stories of public profiles. So, if the person’s account is private, most of these services, tools, or apps won’t work.
The shared methods will only work if the Instagram Story is available, but you cannot view them. These methods should resolve the issue, and you can view the story again. If you need more help in this topic, let us know in the comments.